AMD Ryzen 5 5500U vs Intel Xeon 6756E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results present a striking split. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U wins 11 of the 15 recorded comparisons, while the Intel Xeon 6756E takes 4. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The most decisive victory for the AMD part comes in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 10,838 against the Xeon's 6,596, a 64.3% advantage. This is followed by PassMark single-thread performance: the Ryzen 5 5500U posts 2,419 versus 1,646, a 47% lead. Integer math shows a similar pattern, with the AMD chip at 45,258 against 30,806, a 46.9% gap. Data compression also favors the Ryzen 5 5500U heavily, 174,584 versus 123,443, a 41.4% difference. These are not marginal wins; the mobile processor is delivering substantially higher throughput in these workloads.

The Xeon's victories are concentrated in different areas. The largest is PassMark find prime numbers, where the Xeon scores 133 against the Ryzen's 26, a massive 80.5% lead. PassMark physics also goes to the Xeon, 1,463 versus 533, a 63.6% margin. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Xeon scores 9,728 versus 7,186, a 26.1% advantage. The Xeon also wins Cinebench R23 single-core, 1,373 versus 1,172, a 14.6% lead.

The Cinebench R15 results run opposite to R23. In R15 multi-core, the Ryzen 5 5500U scores 1,247 versus 980, a 27.2% win. In R15 single-core, it scores 177 versus 138, a 28.3% win. The database shows these are not universal outcomes. The R15 workload favors the AMD architecture, while R23 favors the Intel part, which suggests scaling behavior differs across renderer versions.

Other PassMark results favor the AMD chip with more moderate margins. Floating point math: 26,029 versus 22,451, a 15.9% lead. Data encryption: 10,405 versus 8,409, a 23.7% lead. Random string sorting: 19,035 versus 15,847, a 20.1% lead. PassMark multi-thread: 12,831 versus 11,445, a 12.1% lead. The Ryzen 5 5500U wins every PassMark subtest except find prime numbers and physics.

The overall average benchmark score sits close. The Ryzen 5 5500U averages 14,589, while the Xeon averages 14,163. The percentile rankings also nearly match: the AMD chip sits at the 69th percentile of all CPUs, the Xeon at the 68th. The nearest rivals for the Ryzen include the AMD EPYC 7473X with an average score of 14,574 (0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i5-9600K at 14,605 (-0.1%). The Xeon's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-10400F at 14,185 (-0.2%) and the AMD EPYC 7552 at 14,115 (0.3%). The data indicates both processors occupy a similar performance tier by average score, despite their wildly different configurations.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is extreme. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U is a 6-core, 12-thread mobile processor built on TSMC's 7 nm process, using the Zen 2 architecture under the Lucienne codename. It belongs to the 5000 series and targets mobile devices. The Intel Xeon 6756E is a 128-core, 128-thread server processor built on Intel's 5 nm process, using the Sierra Forest architecture. It targets server and workstation deployments.

Core counts differ by an order of magnitude: 6 versus 128. Thread counts differ as well: 12 versus 128. The Xeon uses a single thread per core, while the Ryzen uses simultaneous multithreading to reach 12 threads from 6 cores. Clock speeds favor the AMD part. The Ryzen 5 5500U runs a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost of 4.00 GHz. The Xeon runs a base of 1.80 GHz and a boost of 2.60 GHz.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The Ryzen 5 5500U has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The Xeon has 96 KB of L1 per core, 4 MB of L2 per module, and 96 MB of shared L3. The Xeon's 96 MB shared L3 is twelve times larger than the Ryzen's 8 MB. The die sizes reflect the complexity difference: the Ryzen measures 156 mm² with 9,800 million transistors, while the Xeon measures 578 mm². The Xeon's transistor count is not recorded in the database.

Memory support diverges completely. The Ryzen 5 5500U supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Xeon supports DDR5 on an eight-channel bus with 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Xeon also supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen does not. PCIe connectivity differs: the Ryzen provides Gen 3 with 12 lanes (CPU only), while the Xeon provides Gen 5 with 88 lanes (CPU only).

Integrated graphics also divide the two. The Ryzen 5 5500U includes Radeon Graphics with 448 SP, while the Xeon has no integrated graphics (N/A). The Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP6; the Xeon uses Intel Socket 4710. The Ryzen launched on January 11, 2021, while the Xeon launched on June 2, 2024. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split by workload type. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U dominates in single-threaded and instruction-heavy workloads. It leads by 47% in PassMark single-thread, 64.3% in extended instructions, and 46.9% in integer math. It also wins data compression by 41.4% and data encryption by 23.7%. For applications that rely on per-core efficiency, dense instruction sets, or memory compression, the Ryzen 5 5500U is the stronger choice based on recorded benchmarks.

The Intel Xeon 6756E wins where massive parallelism and raw core count matter. It leads by 80.5% in find prime numbers, a workload that scales well across many cores. It wins PassMark physics by 63.6%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it leads by 26.1%, and in R23 single-core by 14.6%. The Xeon's 128 cores provide a different scaling profile than the Ryzen's 6 cores.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 14,589 for the Ryzen versus 14,163 for the Xeon, a difference of roughly 3%. The percentile rankings confirm this: 69th versus 68th. The choice between these two depends entirely on the target workload. A mobile device needing responsive single-thread performance and strong instruction throughput favors the Ryzen 5 5500U. A server environment running highly parallel, physics-heavy, or prime-number workloads favors the Xeon 6756E.

The launch MSRP for the Xeon 6756E is $8428. The Ryzen 5 5500U has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U averages 14,589, while the Intel Xeon 6756E averages 14,163.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: In PassMark single-thread, the Ryzen 5 5500U scores 2,419 versus 1,646 for the Xeon, a 47% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Xeon leads 1,373 versus 1,172, a 14.6% margin.

Q: Does the Xeon ever win in multi-core tests?

A: Yes. The Xeon wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 9,728 versus 7,186, a 26.1% lead. However, in Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen wins with 1,247 versus 980, a 27.2% margin.

Q: What memory types do these processors support?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500U supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Xeon 6756E supports DDR5 on an eight-channel bus with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth and supports ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E has 128 cores and 128 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Is there a difference in integrated graphics?

A: Yes. The Ryzen 5 5500U includes Radeon Graphics with 448 SP. The Xeon 6756E has no integrated graphics (N/A).

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U wins in scenarios that stress single-core execution, instruction throughput, and memory compression. PassMark single-thread shows a 47% advantage. Extended instructions show a 64.3% advantage. Integer math shows a 46.9% advantage. Data compression shows a 41.4% advantage. These results point to workloads like scripting, compilation, compression tools, and general desktop responsiveness. The Ryzen also wins data encryption by 23.7% and floating point math by 15.9%, making it suitable for encryption tasks and moderate numerical workloads. Its 4.00 GHz boost clock and 2.10 GHz base clock give it a frequency edge over the Xeon's 1.80 GHz base and 2.60 GHz boost.

The Intel Xeon 6756E wins in scenarios that scale across many cores. PassMark find prime numbers shows an 80.5% lead. PassMark physics shows a 63.6% lead. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 26.1% lead. These results point to physics simulations, prime-number computations, and render workloads that can utilize 128 threads. The Xeon also wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 14.6%, which is notable given its lower clock speeds. Its 96 MB shared L3 cache and eight-channel DDR5 memory with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth support memory-intensive server workloads. Its 88 PCIe Gen 5 lanes provide extensive I/O connectivity.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification field. The Ryzen 5 5500U has 6 cores and 12 threads; the Xeon 6756E has 128 cores and 128 threads. The Ryzen runs at 2.10 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost; the Xeon runs at 1.80 GHz base and 2.60 GHz boost. The Ryzen has a 15 TDP; the Xeon has a 225 TDP. The Ryzen uses AMD Socket FP6; the Xeon uses Intel Socket 4710.

The architecture differs: Zen 2 (Lucienne) versus Sierra Forest. The process node differs: 7 nm from TSMC versus 5 nm from Intel. The die size differs: 156 mm² versus 578 mm². The transistor count is 9,800 million for the Ryzen; the Xeon's transistor count is not recorded.

Cache configurations differ. The Ryzen has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The Xeon has 96 KB L1 per core, 4 MB L2 per module, and 96 MB shared L3. Memory support differs: DDR4 dual-channel with 51.2 GB/s versus DDR5 eight-channel with 409.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the Xeon but not the Ryzen.

PCIe differs: Gen 3 with 12 lanes versus Gen 5 with 88 lanes (both CPU only). Integrated graphics differ: Radeon Graphics 448SP versus N/A. Market segment differs: Mobile versus Server/Workstation. Release dates differ: January 11, 2021 versus June 2, 2024. Part numbers differ: 100-000000375 versus SRPFX. The launch MSRP for the Xeon is $8428; the Ryzen has no recorded launch MSRP.